Past Rural Nursing & Medical Scholarships Program

When I completed high school in a rural town on the far south coast of NSW, University of Wollongong Bega Campus gave me the opportunity to study my top preference of Nursing with passion while still being at home.   This was important for me as I had grown up rurally and wanted to pursue my career without having to move my whole life to the big city.

Six weeks into my Bachelor of Nursing, CVOID-19 stopped everything worldwide, including university.   Everything shifted from classroom involvement to online, self-paced and zoom learning.

I grew up on a farm in a small regional town called Gundagai and moved to the Snowy Mountains when I was 10.   From there, I completed my secondary education at Monaro High School and received my higher school certificate.   I have just completed the final year of my degree of Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Wollongong Bega campus.

Nursing to me, is the start of a chapter of many more to come.   I see nursing as a challenging but rewarding career that is forever changing and adapting.

My name is Jessica Richards, and I am a mum of two children and a wife to a supportive husband.  I am proud to say that two weeks ago I finally completed my Bachelor of Nursing at Wollongong University, Bega Campus.  My dream to become a nurse began at 18 years old, when I initially applied for a nursing degree and was accepted.   I was so excited when starting my course, however in the first few weeks of the course I began to doubt my abilities.   I then transferred to teaching.   Over the following years I had a successful teaching career as well as gaining Masters in Special Education and Teacher Librarianship.  Despite thoroughly enjoying teaching, I never stopped wondering what it would be like to be a nurse.   However, starting over in a new career seemed terrifying.   With the support of my husband, I decided to take the leap and chase my dream of becoming a nurse, beginning my degree in 2020.

In rural New South Wales [NSW], people face more barriers accessing healthcare than those who reside in metropolitan areas. Oftentimes, there are larger geographical distances that people must travel for specialised healthcare, and there are fewer allied health professionals and doctors. Adding to the complexity, people who live in rural areas also experience higher rates of chronic disease, co-morbidities, and premature death that is largely preventable.

Furthermore, specific to my hometown in the Bega Valley, and other nearby rural towns, communities have been impacted by cumulative natural disasters including floods, devastating bushfires, drought, the Covid19 pandemic and even mice plagues.

I want to be a nurse who works in the country because I have lived in East Gippsland, Victoria for over 21years. Originally, I missed the shops in Melbourne, but I have realised the health benefits of country life and living with nature. The comparison from a busy work life and family to the peace found in the country is rejuvenating and calming giving my life balance.

The awe of nature gives me joy that feeds into my passion for people and the individual uniqueness of people’s lives. I want to be a rural nurse because they care for their community and the people who work, paid and unpaid to support their families, friends, neighbours and their community. I am not a local to East Gippsland because I have not been born here.

I am passionate about the provision of exceptional health care to those living in regional/rural communities.   As I live in a remote area and have myself received excellent care at a regional hospital, I would like to continue providing the best possible health care for others int he East Gippsland region.   Receiving care from dedicate rural nurses has a positive impact on people’s lives, allowing them to remain in their community with friends and family and those they know whilst receiving optimum care.   I firmly believe this results in positive influences on people’s health outcomes and as a rural nurse I would endeavour to make this a reality for those living in East Gippsland.

Rural nursing stands out to me and is an area I wish to pursue my nursing career for several reasons.  I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to be completing a Registered Nursing Graduate program at Central Gippsland Health Service (CGHS) .   Whilst I know it will have challenges, I am excited to see how widely I can expand in my knowledge with this opportunity and how far I can push myself to grow.   This year I have experienced placements at CGHS in both the Emergency Department and the Surgical ward Unit and with this, I felt a great sense of community and belonging amongst the staff, patients and families.  Bonds that I am eager to continue expand.  I have also participated in placements in other rural areas including Bairnsdale Regional Health Service and Gippsland Southern Health Service Leongatha.

There are many reasons why I wish to be a rural nurse, the real question is why would I not want to be a rural nurse?   I currently reside in Maffra, after spending my childhood years in Sale.   I am currently employed with a local disability service where I provide support and access to the local facilities.  As part of the organisation, we run a not for profit café where clients can develop their skills and strengthen their employment opportunities.    I am a netball coach with the Sale Net ball association were I donate my time to coach young netballers, fundraise and volunteer with in the club

Growing up in a regional community I have seen first-hand the importance and impact that rural hospitals have on communities.   They have demonstrated that there is more to healthcare then just providing medical services; that it provides community support.   The sense of community is an important factor for me as I have grown up assisting the community through many services projects, such as Lions Australia and the Australian Mentoring Experience (EIME).

It was through these programs that I demonstrated my passion for serving others and was inspired to become a health professional.  the community has attracted me into rural nursing as it demonstrated a holistic approach to health and the benefits a community can have on an individual’s health and well being.

I have grown up in a rural community and I always wanted to give back to this community. I am married to a dairy farmer, and we have 2 children and live on the family farm.  I have always lived in the Gippsland region near Maffra and experienced a wonderful rural upbringing and I want the same for my children. I am currently working within my local rural community in an aged care facility as an enrolled nurse. While in this role I care for the elderly, building a rapport with them and their families, communicating effectively, and I have the confidence to speak up and advocate for them if something was not right.

From my experience as an enrolled nurse, I decided I wanted to give more back to my community holistically and clinically so I decided to complete my Bachelor of Nursing degree.